Bowling-alley surfaces



J. MARTIN.

BOWLING ALLEY SURFACER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. 1918 Patented July 8, 1919.

SSHEETS-S ET I.

J. MARTIN.

BOWLING ALLEY SURFACER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY19. 1918.

1,308,762. Patented July 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W avmmntoz (fame I.

J. MARTIN.

BOWLING ALLEY SURFACER.

APPLLCATION FILED JULY 19, I918.

Patented July 8, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

nu lHHHHlHHlHg ugjHljlll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MARTIN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 HERMAN F. ZINK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BOWLING-ALLEY SURFAGER.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed July 19, 1918. Serial No. 245,686.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that-I, JOSEPH MARTIN, citizen of the United States, residingat Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bowling-Alley Surfacers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specificat on.

This invention relates to, a bowling alley surfacer shown in the accompanying drawings and .more particularly described in the following specification and claims.

It is well known among bowlers and the owners of bowling alleys that the surface of an alley becomes rapidly worn through constant use, thus rendering it unfit for accurate work,it is therefore the practice to resurface alleys from time to time by manually scraping or planing the same. Great d1fiiculty, however, is experienced in securing a perfectly level transverse and longitud nal surface without a large expenditure of tlme, effort and money.

It is therefore one ofthe objects of this invention to provide a combined manually and mechanically controlled floor surfacer ada ted to insure a perfectly leved bowling sur ace in both longitudinal and transverse directions at a minimum expenditure of of fort and cost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combnation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and. claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying dralwings Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus "mounted upon a fragment of its longitudinal track,showing in dotted lines thesurfacer swung at right angles to the pos1t1on 1nd1- cated by full lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the longitudif nal track showing the conveyer carrying the surfacer mounted thereon.

Fig. 4 is anelevation of the end of the apparatus opposite that indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the track supporting jack or pedestal.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the track with leveling line in position.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A, denotes a longitudinally disposed track, the respective rails A A of which are supported by a plurality of adjustable pedestals or jacks B located in the usual gutter on opposite sides of the alley.

C indicates a conveyer comprising a suitable rectangular frame constructed of channel iron, the cross-members C of which are provided with a plurality of holes C to receive the bolts C which connect the cross members and side members C together by means of suitable angle-iron plates C the arrangement being such that the conveyer may be adjusted to the width of the alley, or the distance between the rails A A. D are hangers bolted to the frame of the conveyer in which are journaled flanged Wheels E mounted upon the track A.

F is a car consisting of a frame F in which are journaled traction wheels F adapted to rest upon and travel the length of the cross rails of the conveyer C. Mounted upon the car F is a fifth Wheel G, provided with cross members F",from which is suspended by adjustable rods H, a floor surfacer I of suitable type. The floor surfacer shown in the drawing consists of an electric motor J, connected by a driving chain J with the sandpaper roll J 2 the driving roll may be raised free from the floor as may be required.

L is a rubber scraper adapted to bear upon the floor directly back of the sandpaper roll J to direct the dust into the chute L connected with the blower.

The screw-threaded rods H supporting the surfacer project through the frame of the car F and are fitted with hand-wheels H and suitable'locking nuts H whereby the altitude of the surfacer may be regulated and then secured against accidental release. Pivoted to the frame of the surfacer adjacent to and above the sandpaper roll J-, is a rod M-extending loosely through an aperture in the car frame Fscrew-threaded at its upper end and fitted with a bevel gear M in mesh with a like gear M mounted upon a shaft M in turn journaled in the frame of the car. M is a hand wheel on the end of the shaft M which upon being manually rotated serves to tilt the surfacer and thereby raises or lowers thesandpaper roll J with respect to the floor.

N is a spirit level mounted upon each of the cross-members C of the conveyer C, whereby the rails of the track A may be leveled with reference to each other upon the proper adjustment of the respective pedesv tals or jacks B,

To provide for proper lining up the rails of the track A a detachable reel P, and post P fitted up with a leveling line P are secured to the respective ends of the track that the intermediate sections of the track rails may-be properly leveled by the jacks or pedestals B. Q is a spirit level mounted on the frame of the car F, to assist in leveling the track preparatory to the resurfacing of the alley.

R is an electric switch to control the delivery of current to the electric motor-J. S is a" handle carried by the frame of the" car F for manually controlling the movement of the car upon the frame of the conveyer C, and whereby the sandpaper roll may be swung in any desired direction through the action of the fifth wheel G, from which the surfacer is suspended.

The rails A are bolted to a T-shaped member T, fitted to a nut 'I", having an annular sleeve T extending into the tubular standard B of the jack B, which is in turn I secured by a set screw U. V are bolts or screws for attaching the pedestal or jack to the floor.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood.

,The several rail supporting pedestals B are first located in the gutter on each side of the alley in spaced relation to each other and secured to the fioorwith the sections of rails A bolted together and attached thereto. The leveling line F is then mounted upon the rails by means of the detachable reel P, and supporting post P, and the line put under tension by the reel. The rails of the track are then leveled by means of the lines P and spirit levels N and Q carried by the conveyer C and car F. f

The altitude of the surfacer I is then adjusted by the hand wheels H carried by the adjustable rods H, and when in position to admit of the proper descent of the surfacer for the removal of the worn surface of the alley floor, are secured against accidental displacement by the lock nuts H Electric current is then delivered to the motor J, from the source of supply by closing the switch R, thereby putting in operatlon the sandpaper roll J 2 actuated through the connected driving gearing. The conveyer C,

may now be pushed along the track A throughout its length and the car F carrying the surfacer may be directed laterally upon the frame of the conveyer by means of the handle S,.which also serves as a means for swinging the surfacer inany desired directionwhile being driven-'-through the coaction of the fifth wheel G, from which it is suspended; thus a smooth, level surface may be obtained both laterally and longitudinally throughout the alley.

The sandpaper roll J 2 may be raised from contact with the floor when required without disturbing the fixed relation or altitude of the surfacer with reference to the floor when again returned to the work, by the operation of the hand wheel M carried by the shaft M -which through the coacting gears M and M and the adjustable shaft M, serve to tilt the forward end of the surfacer and thereby raise the sandpaper roll from contact with the floor. By the proper adjust means connected with the floor surfacer for,

turning the same on the fifth wheel and also for moving the floor surfacer longitudinally and transversely.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track, a conveyer mounted for movement longitudinally of the track, a car slidably mounted on the conveyer for movement transversely of the track, a horizontal wheel carried by the car, and a floor surfacer hung from the fifth wheel and provided with means for turning it on the fifth wheel and for moving it longitudinally and transversely of thetrack.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the comblnatlon of a clutch, a conveyer mounted on the track for movement longitudinally thereof, a carslidably mounted on the conveyer and movable transversely of the track, a fifth wheel carried-by the car, a floor surfacer hung from the fifth wheel,

and a handle connected with the floor surthe combination of a car, a floor surfacer,

rods adj ustably connecting the floor surfacer with the car for raising and lowering the floor surfacer, a shaft depending from the car and pivoted at its lower end to the floor surfacer, and means for adjusting the shaft vertically.

- r 5. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a car, a floor surfacer, rods adjustably connecting the floor snrfacer With the car for raising and lowering the floor surfacer, a shaft depending from the car and pivoted at its lower end to the-floor surfacer, said shaft having a threaded upper end, a nut engaging the threaded shaft and provided with a beveled gear", and a horizontal shaft having a beveled gear meshing with the said beveled gear for raising and lowering the shaft.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track, a conveyer mounted for movement longitudinally of the track, a car sl-idably mounted on the conveyer for movement transversely of the track and provided with a fifth Wheel, a floor surfacer hung from the fifth Wheel and adapted to be turned in any direction and havin a dust box mounted on the car, and a flexlble tube connected with the dust box and extending through the fifth Wheel to the floor surfacer.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

S. E. THOMAS, JNO. CONSIDINE, Jr. 

